Dylan Bettencourt
Teenage South African golfing sensation Aldrich Potgieter has been booked to compete in three major events after winning the 127th British Amateur Championships.
The 17-year-old will be competing in the 150th Open at St Andrews, the 87th Masters and the 123rd US Open.
Potgieter fought back during a 36-hole final over the weekend to come from behind to defeat English golfer Sam Bairstow to secure a 3 and 2 victory.
The win saw him become the third South African to win the event after Bobby Cole in 1966 and Jovan Rebula in 2018.
He was also the second youngest winner of The Amateur since Matteo Manassero won at the age of 16 in 2009.
Potgieter said the winning feeling had not sunk in when he lifted the trophy.
“It’s really amazing. I can’t really find the words; there’s no feeling like it and I haven’t felt this good before. It will take some time to sink in, because right now the words can’t even come out of my mind to describe how I feel,” he said.
The teenager from Mossel Bay in Western Cape quickly shot up the ranks and proved he is one to look out for in the coming years.
Potgieter went into The Amateurs ranked 140th, and has now cemented his spot to compete at the 2022 Junior Presidents Cup in North Carolina this September for South Africa.
He will, however, first compete at the 150th Open this July.
“I’m really excited. I played the Old Course recently during The St Andrews Links Trophy and it was really amazing,” said the youngster.
“I think the course is going to get in better shape and I’m really looking forward to the experience. The Open has always been my favourite major because of all the history it holds.”
Potgieter concluded that this is an achievement he could have never dreamed of coming true.
He now however has to take the opportunity and prove why he is held in high regard.
